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Little Red Wagon

Every little doll needs a wagon to haul her treasures. This was a fun project and I know the granddaughters will put it to use!

I started with a simple cardboard box constructed by layering thin cardboard sheets glued together. I needed something for the wheels to attach to that would also allow them to turn. It would not do if it wasn’t operational! I purchased a Mac laptop 4 years ago and kept the box and packing material because….well, I am a pack rat and was sure I could use it down the road. The computer and charger were set in a molded hard plastic insert in the box. It had an section that was a perfect angle to hold the axle. I cut out four pieces, trimmed and sanded them, then drilled holes a bit bigger than the axle dowel. To see how strong it was, I tried breaking one…it bent but wouldn’t break, so I figure it should be grandkid proof.

On to making the wheels. I contemplated several options…buttons, washers, polymer clay or cutting them out of the same cardboard. I had recently purchased some InstaMorph plastic after seeing a post about it on Facebook. I decided to give it a try. The plastic pellets are placed in 150 degree water until they turn clear and clump together. That takes about 2-3 minutes. Then the plastic can be molded into anything while it is warm. Once it cools, it becomes hard again. It seemed like the perfect solution. It worked….but it was a struggle. The plastic cools very quickly so you need to work fast. I had to put it back into the water to make it pliable again. Meanwhile, my wheel would lose it shape, and I would have to start over again. I used a template to help me keep the wheels all the same size. It worked pretty well, but some are a bit thicker than others. I will use the InstaMorph again for something, but only if I need a single item. Getting multiple matching objects is hard.

After I finally finished and painted the wheels, I made little caps from polymer clay and put together the axles. A rope for a handle and it was good to go.

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2 comments

I love how you show pics with the step by step as you create each item and all the ideas you come up with. I always look forward to seeing what’s coming next. Thank you so much for sharing your mini DIY’s and also for sharing the items you use for each, I for one appreciate it all.